Bryan Danielson's full-time wrestling career is in the rearview mirror, but the possibility of a part-time return isn't completely off the table. According to Danielson himself, the current odds are actually 50/50. In the eyes of AEW commentator Tony Schiavone, Danielson should follow the path toward retirement.
"The body has had enough man," Schiavone said on the "What Happened When" podcast. "After every match, I would go to him and say 'Are you okay?' He'd go 'Yeah,' but I know that he's hurting. I know that he's hurting and every time he wrestles, I just think 'God, I hope it's not the last time.' I think he realizes that he can't take the chance [of worsening his injury]. He wants to see his kids grow up, so why take the chance? He's been in this business for quite a while, made a lot of money, and hopefully enough. His wife's made a lot of money too. Hopefully they got enough for their family to live on without having to go out and take bumps anymore."
One of Danielson's biggest health concerns revolves around his neck, which he initially believed would need surgery by the end of 2024. Upon the turn of the new year, Danielson revealed his desire to "live comfortably" without it. Should he wrestle again without having surgery too, though, Schiavone believes his livelihood and his neck would be put at serious risk.
"What if that one more time something goes wrong and then he can't live out his final years the way he wants to with his family?" Schiavone said. "That's what you risk all the time." Danielson last competed at AEW WrestleDream in a losing effort to The Death Riders' Jon Moxley, which resulted in Moxley beginning his fourth reign as AEW World Champion.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "What Happened When" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
